Apple’s Original Content Budget Balloons to $6 Billion (Report)

iPhone maker had initially earmarked $1 billion, but it’s become considerably more, according to the Financial Times

The Morning Show Apple
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Apple’s budget for original content for its upcoming Apple TV+ streaming service has skyrocketed, according to a report in the Financial Times on Monday.

The tech giant has committed around $6 billion, up from the $1 billion that was initially planned, the London-based outlet reported. Apple did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.

Apple TV+’s original content plans are being led by former Sony Pictures TV executives Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg.

The FT report singled out the upcoming Jennifer Aniston-Reese Witherspoon led “Morning Show,” which dropped its first trailer on Monday morning. The series, which also stars Steve Carell, is said to have cost more on a per-episode basis than the final season of HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” though the FT report did not put a specific price tag. Jason Momoa’s “See” was also cited as being one of the most expensive for Apple.

In comparison, Netflix is spending $15 billion on content in 2019, while Disney will commit $1 billion in 2020 for its own streaming service, Disney+, which launches Nov. 12. Disney expects that number to increase to the “mid $2 billion” by 2024.

Apple TV+, which is supposed to be available in the fall, does not yet have a set launch date or price point. The FT report said that Apple is looking to launch within the next two months, ahead of Disney+’s upcoming Nov. 12 debut.

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